Comments on: Can Jerry Seinfeld save Microsoft? – Apparently NOT

By: djarvis8

djarvis8 — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 04:33:17 +0000

I really like the Seinfeld ads. I think they are saturated with deep and profound meaning.

By: Apple_and_PC_Tech

Apple_and_PC_Tech — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 17:42:05 +0000

I got the point of the commercial…the shoe was supposed to represent Vista.

It’s tight = Vista pushes your hardware to the brink of exhaustion (read that: runs slowly)

You have to wear them in the shower = Vista is different. You have to use it differently. (read that: a pain in the butt to use)

It takes some time for it to stretch out = Vista has updates that have been released for it (read that: still slow and buggy even though SP1 has been released)

You’re a ten = A PC user wants an OS that runs like a perfect 10 (read that: XP works perfectly fine, but Vista doesn’t)

At the end of the commercial, where Seinfeld asks Gates about “something delicious” means Windows 7.

This is just a bad commercial. I got the symbolism because I am a technician. Not everyone is a tech – most people know how to turn a computer on and type something into Word or send E-Mails. To the average person, using a computer is like driving a car. They are not sure exactly why it works, but it does.

I think this commercial would leave the average computer user scratching his or her head and asking why Microsoft is selling shoes. When compared to something smart, like say the Mac vs PC ads, this commercial leaves much to be desired.

By: VannDetta

VannDetta — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 16:22:12 +0000

Just as an aside, until I pointed out that Jerry Seinfeld was with Bill Gates of MicroSoft, my wife though that this was a commercial for The Shoe Circus (and she saw this commercial at least a half dozen times!). Had me hurting on the floor.

By: Manny

Manny — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 09:21:50 +0000

I don’t think I’ll ever eat a churro again. A bit humorous and it will indeed get people talking – just not sure that acting like a looney company involved with circuses, shoes, and moist cake underwear is exactly what Microsoft wants people to be associating with their brand right now. I just want to get my work done, e-mail my friends, and play a few games. I don’t want to have to associate with middle-aged men wearing their shoes in the shower and understanding underwear code-speak to do so.

The next commercial better be a barn-burner – I mean, this ad agency better be friggin geniuses with where this is going and soon or this is going to flop – big time. I’ll have to wait until the next commercial, but wow – not good. Not good at all.

By: David Bear

David Bear — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 02:45:39 +0000

I can just see the Microosft exec in the meetings. 100 people must have seen and approved these ads. They all thought it was fantastic enough to spen almost 1/3 BILLION dollars on. Can you see the boardroom now?

Guy #1 – “Wow! That was fantastic…let’s run with it!”

Guy #2 – “I couldn’t agree more. As an Ad agency you’ve knocked our socks off – kudos!”

Guy #3 – “This investment will bring in 4 times what it cost. Absolutely brilliant guys!”

I’m assuming the same great team said the same things about Vista when it was launched – so what do you expect when the same people keep doing the same things wrong expecting different results?

As a stockholder – I’m ashamed. What a waste of money. I’m sure glad Vista cost so much so they could waste MY money on vauge, non-product related ads rather than building great products with it and just having them sell themselves. Just like Mojave – got to trick people into buying our products.

I wonder if Bill Gates likes everyone talking about his cake-like buttocks. I’ll bet he’s wishing these ads were different already. I can’t imaging he’s proud. Eh, what does he care, right? He’s laughing all the way to the bank too.

By: Trace Bannon

Trace Bannon — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 20:34:46 +0000

Hey, the ad got you talking and blogging about it.

What’s the saying about “there’s no bad PR”?

By: Atticus Finch

Atticus Finch — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 05:23:17 +0000

[Deleted for violation of blog guidelines. --ed.]

By: lbjack

lbjack — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 20:03:48 +0000

Cute commercial. Allusions to the old “Bill G’s” underwear lore. (And Seinfeld’s wet clothes fetish???) Ok, and maybe a little with the churro and “How’s the fit?” and shoe-size bit. Though Gates does seem as perplexed as we.

But this was an ad for…what?

By: Your shrink

Your shrink — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 16:35:50 +0000

@ Floyd (#38)
She doesn’t need you to fix her MacBook. She want you to feel good about yourself and give you the feeling that you’re important to her.

By: garyla

garyla — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 15:37:45 +0000

After all his ruthless employee flogging, business cheating and krappy
product releases Bill has made his billions and billions. Now he just wants to be seen as one of the guys and will pay any price to get there.
Too bad so many others had to pay first.

By: efjay

efjay — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 14:27:36 +0000

Having recently switched to Mac, wondering if my move was premature. This ad convinced me there is no future with a company that has lost its way. The ad was drivel, pointless and a sure sign that Microsoft is floundering.

By: WJones

WJones — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 13:36:08 +0000

Dvorak’s article in PC Mag suggesting this commercial is about ‘kinky sex’ is unworthy of that publication. Sometimes, John, a churro (rigid or not) is just a churro. I think the only kink here is in your own mind.

By: Uncle Patso

Uncle Patso — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 11:29:15 +0000

I think the family looking in the window got caught up by seeing someone famous in the store, just as Jerry Seinfeld did at the beginning of the spot.

By: pwuk

pwuk — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 09:40:07 +0000

What a croc, these two planks are less animated than Thunderbirds.

By: Sid

Sid — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 03:31:56 +0000

God forbid, Microsoft spend 10 million on a product that actually gives people what they want. I said I would not speak ill of the dead, but if this ad is the best they can do then it may be time to by myself an overpriced Apple product.